How to Fall Asleep Fast – 16 Ultimate Sleeping Tips to Help with Your Insomnia!

Summary

  1. Take a hot bath or a hot shower
  2. Get the right room temperature for sleep
  3. Switch off all the lights
  4. Avoid using all electronics
  5. Try sleep meditation
  6. Do stretching exercise or yoga
  7. Journaling before bed
  8. Invest in comfy sleep setup
  9. Minimise noise
  10. Avoid late-night meals
  11. Try aromatherapy
  12. Take natural sleep supplement
  13. Use reverse psychology technique
  14. Think happy thoughts
  15. Drink herbal tea
  16. Have a sleep routine
You’re lying in bed, tossing and turning, and sleep seems so elusive. Well, fret not, here are some tips that are backed by science to help you doze off faster.

1. Take a Hot Bath or a Hot Shower

Scientists are saying that hopping into a hot bath or a hot shower before hitting the sack can do wonders for your sleep. Your body’s core temperature needs to cool down to get a good night sleep. Hence, taking a hot bath before bed may seems to be counter-intuitive if you want your body to cool down. While in fact, the opposite is true, hot baths does cool your body. What happens with a hot bath is that it increases blood flow to the skin surface and also to the hands and feet, which allows body heat to escape more quickly. For the best results, aim for your hot bath or shower to be about an hour before bed. You can make it a cozy pre-sleep ritual to add to your bedtime routine.

2. Get the right room temperature for sleep

As mentioned earlier, your body needs to cool down before you are able to fall asleep. However, if your room is too cold, you will have difficulty going to sleep too. Therefore, remember the Goldilocks rule for your bedroom temperature—not too hot, not too cold, but just right. Find that sweet spot, and your body will thank you with a comfy night’s sleep.

3. Switch off all the Lights

As your body’s circadian rhythm is very sensitives to the various cues in your surrounding such as light. Hence, an absence of light is giving your body the signal that it’s time for bed. Your body also produces a sleep hormone called melatonin in response to darkness. So, make your bedroom as dark as possible. Dim those lights and shut the curtains.

4. Avoid using all Electronics

Avoid using your phone, watching TV or playing video games just before bed. The blue light emitted by the screen messes with melatonin production. So, power down those gadgets at least an hour before bedtime. Let your brain know it’s time to unplug.

5. Try Sleep Meditation

If your mind is in overdrive and show no sign of sleepiness, try this trick. Focus on your breathing. Inhale slowly, count to four, then exhale. Repeat. It’s like a mini-meditation to kick stress to the curb and lure you into a relaxing sleep. According to a study, meditation could boost your melatonin levels and guide your brain into that sweet spot where it is easier to fall asleep. So, consider adding meditation to your bedtime routine to help you fall asleep easier and faster.

6. Do Stretching Exercise or Yoga

When you stretch or do yoga, your body releases tension, relaxes the muscles and reduce your stress level. So, here are some of the best stretching exercises to do before bed to make falling asleep a breeze.
  • Child’s Pose
  • Knee to Chest Stretch
  •  Cat-Cow Stretch
  • Neck Stretch
  • Butterfly Pose
  • Standing Quad Stretch
  • Supine Twist
  • Legs-Against-the-Wall Stretch
  • Standing Calf Stretch
If you’re not familiar with these stretching exercises, you can always check out some videos to get a step-by-step guide on how to do each of them.

7. Journaling Before Bed

You might have trouble falling asleep because you have too much on your mind. Jotting down your thoughts in a journal can help put those troubling thoughts and worries to bed. A study conducted on some university students who had problems sleeping found that writing help improve their quality and duration of sleep. Another study conducted on a group of adults, found that writing down tasks that they need to complete the next few days help them to fall asleep faster. So, what should you write in your night journal? Everyone’s situation is unique, hence it’s important to focus your writing on your own experiences.
      • Write about your frustrations, and the things that troubles you or make you angry. Writing can be an excellent way to let off some steam in a healthy way.
      • You should also write down what brings you joy and happiness. It is important to take note of the positive things that make you happy. Counting your blessings and focusing on things that you are grateful for will also put you in a better mood.
      • Write out a to-do-lists. When you jot down your tasks, it’s like offloading them from your brain onto paper. This help to give your brain a break from anxiety, worries and keeping your brain from constantly replaying on those incomplete tasks.
      So, when is the best time to write? Your to-do-list can be done right before bed. However, writing about your feelings would be best done two to three hours before bedtime. As some emotions can be quite intense, you would want to give your mind some time to unwind and settle before heading to bed.

      8. Invest in Comfy Sleep Setup

      A comfortable mattress, pillow and bedding are key to a good night’s sleep. When choosing your mattress, think of the Goldilocks rule: Not too soft or hard but just right. You want a mattress that’s firm enough to provide adequate support but not too hard that is uncomfortable. Usually, that means opting for a medium-firm mattress. Studies indicate that sleeping on a medium-firm mattress can boost sleep quality by 55% and even alleviate ongoing back pain. A pillow serves the purpose of providing support to your head, neck, and shoulders, ensuring they remain comfortably aligned with your spine. The ideal pillow for you is determined by your unique needs and preferences, which also include your preferred sleep position. Choosing the right bed sheets is another important factor in getting better sleep. Bed sheets will affect how your body temperature changes during the night. Opt for breathable fabrics like cotton and linen. However, the choice of fabric is also a personal preference and may vary based on the seasonal temperatures in your location.

      9. Minimise Noise

      Nighttime noises can disrupt your sleep, preventing a refreshing and uninterrupted night’s rest. Even if these noises don’t fully wake you up, they can still have subconscious effects, altering the time spent in different sleep stages. Ensure that your room is quiet and even consider using ear plugs. You can also play some soft tunes or white noise if you find that helpful in making you fall asleep.

      10. Avoid Late-Night Meals

      Eating a heavy meal too near your bedtime can cause stomach acid reflux and indigestion which will negatively affect your sleep. Hence, plan to finish your dinner two to four hours before bedtime. Although eating a large meal before bedtime is not recommended, a small snack before bed can help in better sleep. Having a light snack before sleeping have the benefit of preventing low blood sugar for some individuals. Additionally, certain snack can even help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

      11. Try Aromatherapy

      Consider some soothing scents such as lavender, chamomile, or a blend of different essential oils for relaxation. The chemical in the essential oils calms the brain, slow down the heart rate and lower the blood pressure. This result in a more relaxed body and mind, making sleep easier.

      12. Take Natural Sleep Supplement

      Some supplements can be affective in aiding sleep. Consider trying these natural sleep aid to promote better sleep. There are some common sleep supplements that you can get over-the-counter, such as:
      • Melatonin
      • Magnesium
      • Glycine
      • L-theanine
      You could also find supplements that contain a combination of these ingredients.

      13. Use Reverse Psychology Technique

      Instead of stressing about sleep, try focusing on staying awake. This technique is known as Paradoxical Intention. By doing the opposite, which is staying awake instead of forcing yourself to fall asleep, it might help you reduce performance anxiety of falling asleep.

      14. Think Happy Thoughts

      A study found that people who are more optimistic enjoy better and longer sleep. Thinking positive thoughts also replaces worrying thoughts that might be keeping you awake. Hence, picture rainbows, cute puppies, or your favourite vacation spot.

      15. Drink Herbal Tea

      Caffeine-free herbal tea containing a blend of lavender, chamomile and passionflower can help to relieve stress, anxiety and promote relaxation. Consider having a small cup of bedtime tea as part of your daily sleep routine. However, just bear in mind not to drink too much fluid near bedtime as the urge to use the bathroom in the middle of the night may end up disrupting your sleep.

      16. Have a regular Sleep Routine

      Last but not least, the final tip to falling asleep fast is to have a sleep routine. Our body has an internal clock, called a circadian clock. It’s on a 24-hour cycle, and we call this daily cycle the circadian rhythm. Your body will try to sync your sleep-wake cycles from the various stimuli from your environment such as light in the room, your meal-times and when you are doing certain activities. Hence, creating a consistent bedtime routine or also known as good sleep hygiene is one of the most effective ways to fall asleep fast. It’s like telling your brain that it’s time to wind down and go to bed. You can sip on a warm cup of non-caffeinated tea, read a few pages of a book, or listen to some soothing music or podcast. And sticking to a set bedtime and wake-up time even on weekends is also a very important part of a good sleep habit.

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